Tips and rumours

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ABC under Libs: funding nerves. How nervous are ABC types about a Coalition government? Quite. Quentin Dempster certainly expressed his concern about the next triennial funding negotiations — put off until 2013, with a final outcome probably after the next federal poll — as he conceded defeat in pushing for an ABC board position (read our story later on). And we hear management types are looking at contingency plans if Tony Abbott does gut the broadcaster as many fear. Negotiations are expected to start with Labor early next year. ABC and SBS will probably send their submissions in February.

Fairfax tabloids timetable. We don’t think there’s any truth to the rumour we heard from one newsagent that Fairfax might bring forward the tabloidisation of The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald from the announced launch next March. There’s plenty more to be done in rejigging the papers for the smaller format and the embattled company is sticking to its first-quarter timetable.

Murdoch migration: list updated. We’ve added more names to our Murdoch migration list, tracking redundancies at The Australian and the tabloids. We’re told long-time arts and feature writer at The Advertiser, Samela Harris, has left. And Sara Mulcahy let us know she’s left the Sunday Magazine (inserted into the metro Sunday papers). More walk-outs from The Oz too …

Demon trolls rally against Caro.The Age‘s chief football scribe Caroline Wilson has gone hard on the off-field troubles of the Melbourne Demons. In the darker reaches of the internet the club’s fans are hitting back, opening “The Wilson File” to compile all her apparently unfair criticisms of the club. It’s extensive, certainly, but they’re getting a little feral …

Robb’s PR: read The Oz. Still no truth to the rumour The Australian is in the pocket of the Liberal Party. We’re sure Andrew Robb didn’t mean to put this story under “media releases” on this website …

Giddings parties with the best of them. Some mischief-making in Tasmania, where spies at Premier Lara Giddings’ 40th birthday party last week suggest the guest list demonstrated the Labor leader is more comfortable with business types than blue-collars. Maybe so, but we reckon it’s her party and she can invite who she wants to.